Government Expands Electricity Bill Protection to 800 kWh to Ease Cost-of-Living Pressures

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 17 — The MADANI Government has expanded electricity bill protection for domestic users from 600 kilowatt-hours (kWh) to 800 kWh per month, effective from September through Dec 31, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced today.

The enhanced subsidy measure aims to provide immediate relief to households facing cost-of-living pressures, particularly as recent hot weather and haze have driven up household energy consumption across the country.

Under the expanded coverage, domestic consumers utilizing up to 800 kWh monthly will be protected through exemptions from the Automatic Fuel Adjustment (AFA), retail charges, and the Sales and Service Tax (SST).

“Under this measure, domestic users consuming up to 800 kWh a month will be protected through exemptions from the Automatic Fuel Adjustment (AFA), retail charges and Sales and Service Tax (SST),” Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said in a social media post today.

The Prime Minister noted that recent weather conditions had pushed many households’ monthly consumption beyond the previous 600 kWh threshold, resulting in unexpectedly high bills. He assured that the government will continue to closely monitor fuel costs and current energy market conditions to ensure electricity tariffs balance public affordability, supply security, and the long-term sustainability of the country’s energy sector.

The decision followed a special one-hour meeting chaired by Anwar at the Ministry of Finance to address public concerns over recent electricity bill spikes. The session was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, alongside Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan.

Anwar also expressed his appreciation to Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB), the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA), and the Energy Commission (ST) for enabling the swift implementation of the protective measure.

–NMT